Photography has become ubiquitous in contemporary experience, manifesting mostly onscreen. This paper explores the scopophilic trends of modern, post-modern and contemporary living as anticipated in the work of Freud and affirmed by Lacan in the coinage scopic regime. It explores how pervasive imaging has become today and exposes how layered the visual can be in contemporary society. Locating photography’s place in contemporary experience brings into focus decades of thought on semiotic discussions. These discussions introduce the political, social and cultural aspects of photographic experience from the 18th century till date. Enwezor’s reflections on the ubiquity, form and power that the image wields especially on contemporary society, condense these contextual implications the image conjures. Our conclusion is that, despite the unease about the impact of the image on society, it seems to have come to stay as a constructor of contemporary life. This paper therefore introduces the photographic image and highlights some of the concerns that surfaced with its introduction. Important theories and trends are discussed with respect to the proliferation of the image today. The imaging technologies and culture of modern men are explored while the coded messages that images transmit are exposed. Views and projections of critical thinkers from different generations and locations are helpful in analyzing the culture of viewing that has pervaded the living conditions of the 21st century citizen. The conclusion is clearly a matter of interpretation since the discovery of the truth in an image is subjective.

Globally over the years, polishing operation has been an important aspect of finishing in most creative metal works. Investigation revealed that in Nigeria, the first known and used substances for polishing creative metal works have been the traditional use of ashes from animal bones and wood, and lime juice mixed with sand. However, the use of natural lime juice mixed with sand and ash, as metal polishes by traditional metalworkers do not produce the type of high lustre surface finish required by contemporary Nigerian artists. Therefore, Nigeria contemporary metal artists have embraced the use of imported bar polishing compounds in conjunction with polishing wheel in order to achieve desired surface finishing of their products, and to satisfy their clients’ needs and demands. Presently, there has been an increase in the demand and use of bar polishing compounds in Nigeria. The increase in the demand and use of imported bar polishing compounds has created scarcity and high cost in their procurement. Therefore, the article is an appraisal of the emergence of bar polishing compounds. The article discusses the roles, constituents, challenges and prospects of imported bar polishing compounds in the development of the indigenous creative metalwork finishing technology in Nigeria. It also sought to develop potent alternative local bar polishing compounds.

Ogori is a small community in Kogi State, Nigeria. The people are known for the annual celebration of Ovia-Osese festival where Òkítóròkò music is performed. Several studies have been carried out on Òkítóròkò music. However, little attention has been paid to the organisational structure and performance practices of the music, which is imperative to the rite of passage of the maidens. This study intends to fill the gap with a view to exploring the organisational structure of the performing group, performance practices of the music and its cultural sensibilities during the rite of passage of the maidens. In-depth oral interview with seven purposively selected members of the Òkítóròkò musical group was employed. Findings show that, though, the performance of Òkítóròkò music started as a spontaneous activity among aged women at the inception of the Ovia-Osese festival; it has become an organised musical performance. It also reveals that the Iyiodina (the custodian of the initiation rite) is in charge of the musical group, while members cut-across the five clans of the community namely; Adubane, Okibo, Oshobane, Opowo and Eni. The paper concludes that the peculiarity of the Òkítóròkò musical group and the performance practices of the music promote the cultural ingenuity and indigenous prowess of the Ogori people to the globe. This is why the paper recommends that adequate attention should be given to the musical practices of the Ogori so that people can learn about the rich cultural heritage of the community.

So much is known about the decoration and use of calabash in Nigeria. Studies have shown that the nomadic Fulani of northern Nigeria are popularly known for their unalloyed attachment to the calabash for which they have accorded time and energy to decorate as well as give character. The calabash as a household utensil and commercial item also has provided countless uses for them. However, extant literature has not sufficiently paid attention to this art tradition of calabash decoration among the nomadic Fulani, which is a rich and significant aspect of their culture. This study, therefore, sought to bridge this gap by surveying the decoration and the use of calabash in nomadic Fulani culture with a view to shedding more light on the importance of their art. This study hence, adds to the existing literature that promotes this distinctive art piece associated with a unique African ethnic group.

Even though radio and television advertisement have been practiced in Ghana from 1967 to date, these forms of advertising have been confronted with numerous challenges that have affected their rapid development. This article used qualitative research approach and case study design to identify and examine challenges of radio and television advertising in Ghana. The study was delimited to Accra metropolis and twelve organisations. Participants were purposively selected for the study. Unstructured interview guide was used to gather the data. The findings revealed that, the local industry has challenges of lack of equipment, technical personnel, beautiful locations, low clientele, low capital base, high demand for discounts, biased media research reports, proliferation of media houses, non-standardised pricing, lack of censorship among others. Based on the findings, the study recommends that multimedia advertising production agencies must raise the needed capital to procure state of the art equipment, hire the services of professionals, and develop strategies to educate their clients on the importance of professionalism in radio and television advertising. Single network radio and TV stations must network their stations with local and foreign broadcast houses. Ghana government must set-up university of media studies to increase the training of different multimedia professionals and improve infrastructure, landscape design and sanitation across the country. Advertising Association of Ghana must develop national advertising bill and impress upon parliament to promulgate it so that it can be used to regulate advertising production, placement and pricing in Ghana.

The purpose of this study was to construct a concise historical narrative of the formation, development, survival and internationalisation of the Ghana Bigshots Band. It is quite unusual for a pop band to emerge from a Ghanaian university and still survive after school, considering both the academic and industry challenges. The Ghana Bigshots Band, arguably Ghana’s first modern ‘Afro-fusion’ band emerged from a university and came to international prominence. The band has broken the myth of the ‘ivory tower’, where the academia disassociates itself from the realities of the society. Employing interview and documentary research for data collection, the paper consequently unravels that the transition from students’ pop band to a trans-African international band was capital intensive. However, the consistency of maintaining an African identity in the band’s compositions and the ideology of blending tradition and modernity accounted for its survival and internationalisation. This study, is, therefore, recommended as a roadmap for student-musicians who wish to take their craft beyond the academic enclave.

Kinetic art is a genre that artists explore to create motion in their works. There are two types of kinetic sculpture practices existing in Nigeria. The first is the traditional kinetic sculpture practice which is the earliest type. The second type is the contemporary kinetic sculpture practice. The first is generally referred to as traditional masquerade that requires human actuation. It is currently being threatened by the emergence of foreign religion and modernity that has classified them as fetish. While, the second type of sculpture practice that needs stimuli such as mechanical, electrical devices; or natural means such as wind or air-current has not been fully entrenched in Nigerian artistic environment. This paper therefore x-rayed these kinetic sculpture practices in Nigeria with a view to highlighting their importance to the socio-cultural and economic development of contemporary Nigeria. Some selected traditional and contemporary kinetic sculptures were critically  appraised to determine their character, roles and prospects in contemporary Nigeria society. It was observed that masquerades which were found in most cultures in Nigeria are gradually going extinct. While very little impact has been made in contemporary kinetic sculpture. If both traditional and contemporary sculpture practices are preserved, harnessed and synergised, they would bring about radical kinetic art sensibility in Nigerian artistic landscape and boost tourism potentials for Nigeria.

Dance education in Ghana has undergone rapid transformation as a result of the dynamic political atmosphere Ghana has experienced over the period covering pre-colonial and post-colonial eras. During the pre-colonial era, dance was an integral part of the worldview of communities in Ghana and its education was viewed as a critical aspect of the continued survival of the communities. As power shifted into the hands of the colonial masters, the promotion of indigenous performing arts, including dance, were seriously marginalised. Efforts expended to revitalise dance education in Ghana, during the post-colonial era, has achieved little success, particularly at the basic and secondary levels of the educational system. This paper is a review dance education as it existed before the advent of Europeans on the soil of Ghana, the colonial as well as the post-colonial eras. The history is presented within the framework of the critical education theory, which postulates power negotiation and its rippling effect on educational policies. Varied political systems that have spun over the history of Ghana and their impact in the promotion of dance education in Ghana are reviewed. Reflections indicate that political power and systems have the ability to control the development of a philosophy that guides the policies and practices of educational system in Ghana. Possible implications are that if efforts are not expended to revitalise dance education in Ghana then this aspect of Ghanaian culture is heading towards extinction.

This article provides a discussion on Ghanaian Ceramics and how expressions have opened up in the visual art especially in the medium of ceramics to bring Ghanaian Ceramics onto the international scene. It looks at how colonialism impacted the Ghanaian Art scene and the lack of visibility due to the Western canon and privileging particular art forms, schools and exhibitions. It discusses how the Faculty of Art at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has had significant role in building connections to the international and how the foundation for a stronger ceramics programme and practiced were developed. Through reforms and emancipatory directions from some faculty members and practitioners, contemporary Ghanaian ceramic practice is emerging on the global scene and creating connections with the global fraternity. The new  practice is becoming vital, forward looking, and imminently contemporary. The works produced currently by Ghanaian ceramic artists are strengthened by rich and diverse forms of traditional Ghanaian ceramics and Ghanaian cultural traditions broadly with less limitations to materiality and form.

Many African countries that were colonised imbibed the coloniser’s language as their own and used them as their national language. The local languages have mostly been relegated to domestic communication. There have been however, recent debates to introduce local languages as national language and to be used as medium of instruction in schools. This paper contributes to these debates and proposes the use of drama in the teaching and learning of local languages. It argues that drama uses dialogue, gestures, movements, props and can integrate music and dances which are created in context for selective and appropriate language and culture. Drama becomes even more potent in aiding the learning of language when it is written in multilingual dialogue as in the plays of Mohammed Ben Abdallah. The paper employs conceptual analysis to discuss Abdallah’s The Witch of Mopti in which he uses bilingual dialogue as a model that could aid the learning of a local language.